Is Venezuela preparing to invade Guyana? Russia and Iran-ally President Maduro stakes claim to oil-rich region of former British colony and authorizes teams to begin drilling

Venezuela’s president on Tuesday released a new map of the region showing the two-thirds of neighboring Guyana “reclaimed” by Caracas and ordered state energy companies to “immediately” begin exploration in the area as fears grew that Nicolas Maduro could go to war. .

Venezuela has laid claim to the Esequiba region of Guyana for more than 100 years, ever since the current country’s border was drawn in 1899. But on Sunday, with his own popularity dwindling in the face of a newly united opposition, Maduro called a “referendum” on whether Venezuela’s claim to the territory should continue.

Voters were asked whether they agreed with the creation of a Venezuelan state in the Esequiba region, granting its population Venezuelan citizenship and “the inclusion of this state in the map of the territory of Venezuela.”

Venezuela’s Maduro-controlled National Electoral Council said voters answered “yes” more than 95 percent of the time on each of the five ballot questions, and Maduro released his new map on Tuesday.

Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela’s president, held up his new map of the region Tuesday, showing Guyana Esequiba, a region the size of Florida under Venezuelan control.

Alexis Rodriguez Cabello (left) applauds as Maduro sent him to Tumeremo on Tuesday to run the Esequiba operation from the jungle border town.

He appointed General Alexis Rodriguez Cabello to head the region and on Tuesday dispatched him to the town of Tumeremo, a remote mining town in the jungle 120 miles from the border.

The size of Florida, Esequiba is rich in mineral resources and covers two-thirds of the territory of Guyana, an English-speaking country that gained independence from Britain in 1966. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America.

Venezuela protested an oil tender announced by Guyana in September, arguing that the offshore zones were disputed and companies awarded the fields would not have rights to explore them.

Guyana denounced Sunday’s referendum as a pretext for annexing land: Days before, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, known for his ties to his counterparts in Russia and Iran, posted a video of Venezuelan troops marching in a parade waving flags that read ” Guyana Esequiba” painted in the colors of the Venezuelan flag.

President Irfaan Ali called Maduro’s move “reckless” and said his country plans to warn both regional and world leaders about Maduro’s attempt to disrupt hemispheric peace.

“Unfortunately, President Maduro has chosen the path of ignoring the ruling of the international court. This speaks volumes about how President Maduro prefers to operate and also points to the fact that he is not concerned about peace and security in the region,” he said. Miami Herald.

“The (UN court’s) order made it clear that Venezuela cannot act or take any action that would disrupt the status quo, and the status quo is that Guyana administers and controls Essequibo,” he said. He.

He added that he was seeking the support of the UN Security Council, the US, the Caribbean Community, the Organization of American States and other countries to ensure that Guyana’s territory “is not violated”.

“We once again call on Venezuela to abandon this reckless and adventurous move and allow international law and the ruling (of the UN court) to guide our actions,” Ali added.

Venezuela’s defense minister tweeted a video of the army preparing for battle, waving flags that read “Guyana Esequiba” in the color of the Venezuelan flag.

“Guyana Esequiba” sign in the colors of the Venezuelan flag.

Venezuela on Tuesday released a new map showing Esequiba under Venezuelan control.

Guyana appealed to the International Court of Justice, the UN’s highest court, which on Friday ordered Venezuela not to take any action to change the status quo until the panel can rule on the two countries’ competing claims. Any decision could take years.

Meanwhile, Guyana is nervously eyeing its giant neighbor to the north.

Venezuela’s military, backed by Russia, Iran and Cuba, vastly outnumbers tiny Guyana: Venezuela’s armed forces number 123,000 active-duty troops versus just 3,400 in Guyana, according to an analysis by Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.

Guyana is also outgunned by Venezuela, with Venezuela having 514 armored vehicles compared to Guyana’s six.

But military analysts say decades of mismanagement by the embattled socialist regime have significantly weakened Venezuela’s capabilities.

Igor Gelov, a military expert quoted by the newspaper, said only about half of the fleet of 24 Russian-made Su-30 fighter jets were considered airworthy.

“But even as a paper tiger, Venezuela is a colossus compared to Guyana,” Gilou said.

King Charles was seen with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali (left) and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo at the COP28 climate change summit in Dubai last week.

He said the logistics of an invasion would be difficult.

“Much of the 800-kilometer border between Venezuela and Esequiba consists of dense jungle that is impassable except for small units,” he said, adding that it was impossible to use armored vehicles in the swampy tropical terrain.

“The most logical option for dictator Nicolas Maduro is a combination of an air attack on several urban centers of Esequiba and an amphibious landing in the Caribbean,” he said.

Such an attack would provoke a strong international response, with a leading role likely to be played by Brazil, which borders both Venezuela and Guyana and whose armed forces are significantly larger and more professional than those of both countries.

In late November, Brazil’s defense ministry said it had “intensified defensive actions” along its northern border.

“The Ministry of Defense is monitoring the situation. Defensive actions have been strengthened in the country’s northern border region, contributing to an increase in military presence,” the statement said.